Cosmetic composition



y 1934. H. H. BECKWITH ET AL COSMETIC COMPOSITION Filed Jan. 3. 193015206727073 ff .BckwcZ/E Harry ma 0. W d

Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES COSMETIC comosmou Hairy H.Beckwlth, Brookline, and Frank Woodrnfl, Quincy, Mama; said Woodruffasllrnor to said Beckwlth Application January 3, mo, Serial at. 418,245i Claims. (01. 167-92) This invention relates to cosmeticcompositionsintended more particularly for facialapplication, such as powders androuges. One popular form for so-called vanity cases or 6 compacts"consists of powder which is compacted together under such high pressurethat it forms a cake, from which the powder may be removed as desired byrubbing with a puff or other applicator. When the powder has become 10exhausted, it has heretofore been necessary to insert into the case anew powdercake or reflll", which ordinarily includes a metal base.Because of the small capacities of such cases, refilling is quitefrequent and expensive. Moreover, it is sometimes difficult, if notimpossible, to purchase refills, in the case of vanity cases of oddsizes and shapes, which are often of ornate and expensive constructionand become of littleutility after their contents are exhausted.

The composition of the present invention comprises a suitable powderbase, which may be marketed in paste-like condition. The compositionsets into cake form when exposed to the atmosphere, this cake being ofthe proper consistency to permit removal of the powder, as desired, bythe usual methods. Such a paste composition may be put up in acollapsible container, from which it may be squeezed in desired amountonto the exhausted metal base of a refill, spread out W1 formly on thebase, permitted to set thereon into cake form, and the freshly preparedrefill inserted into the case from which the base was removed. Or,ordinarily, the paste may be squeezed from the tube directly into theappropriate compartment of the vanity case,ithen spread and allowed toset. Such a composition not only makes possible the reuse of the samemetal base in refilling the case, or the introduc- 'tion of the pastedirectly into the case, but is 40 further advantageous in that it may bepurchased in bulk at much lower cost than powder cakes or refills, andmaybe used where it is difflcult or impossible to purchase suitablerefills.

The composition of the present invention contains an agent which servesto cause caking of the powder to a chalk-like consistency, so thatpowder may be removed from the cake by light rubbing with the usual puffor pad. We have found glycerine to be especially suitable as the bindingor caking agent, since it is colorless, odorless, and non-injurious tothe skin, but an equivalent binder may be used which possessessubstantially these characteristics. The glycerine should, however, beused in exceedingly small amount, for were it used in excessive amount,the composition would persist in wet condition, not only because of theinvolatility of the glycerine, but because of its hy'groscopicity. Thecomposition also contains a volatile liquid in amount sumcient toproduce the desired initially spreadable, smooth, paste-likeconsistency, and which is quickly volatilized when the composition isexposed to'the action of the atmosphere, leaving the set compositionsufliciently porous, soft, and chalk-like to permit of eminentlysatisfactory frictional removal of powder therefrom, as with a puff, ina condition appropriate for application to the skin. The glycerine'remains in the composition but, being present'in slight amount, impartsno observablewetness thereto, even after exposure to the atmosphere foran indefinite periodof time. It is possibleto employ various volatileliquids such as fall into the class of organic solvents, but some ofthese solvents are decidedly more advantageous than others. For example,some organic solvents, such as benzol, toluol, and xylol, aredisadvantageous in that they leave residual odors, whereas chloroformand ether have the disadvantages of being anaesthetics and too volatile.Carbon tetrachloride and acetonehave none of these disadvantages, but ofthese two, carbon tetrachloride is preferable, in that it isnon-inflammable and less expensive than acetone. Ethyl alcohol, in.preference to methyl alcohol; is eminently satisfactory in all respects,particularly when used with water, which not only lowers itsinflammability but retards its evaporation sufliciently so that nocracks are produced im-the composition during its setting. The ethylalcohol may be used in suitably denatured condition, in which conditionit is inexpensive. For instance, commercial M40 denatured alcohol, whichcontains only a small volume of acetone and a slight amount of brucinesulphate, maybe employed.

The powder base may comprise the usual cosmetic powders, such as rice,starch, corn, oatmeal, talc, magnesium carbonate, calicum sulphate, zincoxide, or the like, in a state of immo palpable fineness of particlesize. A suitable boquet or perfume may be incorporated into the powder,together with such coloring agents as will give it the desired tint. Inorder to ensure uniformity in the product, the perfume and color ingagents may be added to and mixed with small portions of a batch of thepowder, whereupon these portions may then be added to the batch. Thebatch may then be mixed and passed through a sieve of the desired mesh.The powder is then 1-10 treated with the liquid mixture to convert it tothe desired paste-like condition.

When the powder comprises only inorganic solids such as talc and zincoxide, a mixture of alcohol, watenand glycerine, consisting of 200 partsby weight of alcohol, 150 parts of water, and 12.5 parts of glycerinehas been found suitable for treating the powder and producing a pastesuch as hereinbefore described. The treatment of the powder may becarried out as follows. Five hundred parts of the powder is placed in asuitable mixer, preferably a two-blade mixer of the Day or Werner andPfieiderer type, as such a mixer is especially eiiective in causing auniform distribution of liquid mixture throughout the powder, because ofits kneading action. After the mixer is set in operation, the liquidmixture is gradually added in small amounts, so that the liquid isabsorbed practically instantaneously by the powder and no free liquid ispresent during the mixing operation, since otherwise excessiveevaporation of the alcohol would take place and it would be diflicult tocause absorption of the liquid by the powder. When approximately 200parts of the liquid mixture has been added, a paste slightly stifferthan the usual tooth paste is produced, at which point no more liquidmixture should be added. The paste may be kneaded for about fifteen totwenty minutes to ensure a physically homogeneous product. The formulaof the resulting composition, neglecting the slight evaporation takingplace during the mixing operation, is as follows:

. Per cent Face powder 71.43 Alcohol 15.74 Water 11.83 Glycerin 1.00

Total 100.00

The foregoing formula may be changed somewhat, but in order to ensurethe desired still, paste-like consistency, one should not depart fromthe use of about 185 to 200 parts, or 27% to 30%, of the liquid mixture.So, too, one should not use much above 1% glycerine in order to ensure aproduct which has the proper setting qualities and which when set is dryto the feel and has a soft, chalk-like consistency, substantially likethat of the usual powder cakes or refills. If desired, carbontetrachloride may be substituted for water in the foregoing formula, asthis material tends to prevent cracking of the composition during setting. The use of carbon tetrachloride in lieu of water is particularlyadvantageous when the powder contains starch or when coloring agentssuch as ochre (yellow), erythrosine (pink), or ponceau (red) have beenincorporated into the powder, as

carbon tetrachloride does not combine with starch and is a non-solventof these coloring agents and accordingly when evaporated does not tendto carry them to the surface. A composition such as described may be putup in various kinds of closed containers, but it lends itself admirablyto confinement in collapsible tubes, as of tin or aluminum foil, fromwhich it may be squeezed in desired amount, whereupon the tube may beclosed with the usual cap to prevent escape of the volatile constituentsand the setting of the composition in the tube.

On the accompanying drawing, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are intended toillustrate the successive steps in applying the composition to the metalbase of an exhausted refill.

As shown in Figure 1, the vanity case or commoans pact in which thepowder cake is used is of circular form and comprises a lid or cover 1and a dished bottom 2 adapted to receive a powder refill including adished metal plate 3. It may, however, be of any irregular or ornamentalform. When the powder supply is exhausted, the plate may be removed fromthe case and, as shown in Figure 2, the composition of the presentinvention may be squeezed thereonto from a collapsible tube 4 filledtherewith. After an ample supply of composition has been deposited onthe plate, it may be tamped down with the thumb or fingers, and as shownin Figure 3, smoothed oil with a spoon, spatula or stick, or othersuitable instrument to lie flush with the edge of the plate. The layerof paste is smoothed, ordinarily, to have a concavity adequate toreceive the pad, between the formed cake and the lid or coverofthe case.When the filled plate is set aside for a suitable period of time, forinstance over night, the composition sets into a solid cake ofchalk-like consistency substantially free from any odor of the volatileliquid originally present therein and otherwise analogous to powderswhich have been caked by the use of high pressures.

One of the many advantages o by the paste, to which we have alreadyreferred but which we desire to emphasize, is that it may be used tofill and refill vanity cases or other receptacles, without the necessityof having the usual supporting plate, as at 3. Irrespective-of theshape, design, or ornamentation of the case or receptacle, the paste maybe placed in the appropriate compartment of the desired thickness, by anunskilled person. Even if the surface, after the cake is set, is leftrough. due to inexpertness of the user, a few applications of the usualpad removes the surface inequalities and leaves a smooth surface.

When the powder or rouge is initially reduced to the desired particlesize, and is formed into a paste as herein described, the binder orcaking agent does not cause such adhesion of the particles as to preventtheir being removed from the surface of the cake, substantially asfreely and as an impalpable powder, as in the case of the compactedpowder cakes or refills.

I We claim:

1. A paste-like composition capable of setting when exposed to theatmosphere into a solid of chalk-like consistency, comprising aphysically homogeneous mixture of a cosmetic powder base, a cakingagent, and volatile, organic liquid in amount suiiicient to wet thepowder particles and to impart quick-setting and pore-forming tendenciesto said composition.

2. A spreadable cosmetic composition capable of setting when exposed tothe atmosphere into powder base, a small amoimt of glycerine, and

suflicient alcohol to wet the powder particles and to give thecomposition a paste-like consistency as well as quick-seting andpore-forming tend-' encies.

4. A spreadable cosmetic composition capable of setting when exposed tothe atmosphere into a proximately the following proportions powder base,a volatile-liquid containing largely an organic liquid morevvolatilethan water and imparting quick-setting and pore-forming tendencies tosaid composition, and glycerine, in ap- Percent Cosmetic'powder 71.43Volatile liqu 27.57 Glycerine 1.00

HARRY H. BECKWITH. FRANK O. WOODRUFF.

